Automatic car brake



(No Model.)

^ 2 Sheets-Sheet l. G. ILPOOR.

AUTOMATIC CAR BRAKE.

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N. PETERS. Phmo-uthagnpher. waxhlngiun, D, c.

`No Model.)

2 Sheets-.Sheet Gr. H. PDOR.

AUTOMATIC GAR BRAKE.

Patented Ju11e`l0, 1884.

N. PETERS. Pnotwlithognpher. wamingwn. D. C.

Arena? rimer?.`

Inirn' rares.

GEORGE HAMILTON POOR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN BRAKE COMPANY, OF SAME PLAGE.

AUTOMATIC CAR-BRAKE.

EBPECIFICATION forming part of LettesPatent No. 300,122, dated .Tune 10, 1884.

Application filed October 15, 1583. (No model.)

'Z0 @ZZ whom t wtay concern: 1

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. POOR, a citizen ofthe United States, residing-at St. Louis, in the county of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Oar-Brakes, and I hereby declare the following toV be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings whercin- Figure I is an elevation, partly in section, of atruck and portion of a car-bodyhaving my invention applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the sill-timbershb'c., and truck,`the flooring having been removed, showing the arrange-` ment of the automatic brake mechanism.

Like letters referto like parts wherever they occur. i

The present invent-ion relates to that class of automatic car-brakes wherein the momentum of the train is applied, through a movable draw-bar and intermediate mechanism controlled by a governor, to the brake beams and shoes, so as to apply the brakes automatically immediately upon the arrest. or retardation of the motion of any oneor more of the preceding cars of a train.

Heretofore the mechanism interposed .between the brakes andthe movable draw-bar, though effective for the purposes intended, has always been of a more or less complicated character,which detraeted from its durability and rendered it liable to become deranged where committed to the care of unskilled operatives. Furthermore, it has generally been of a character which required skilled labor to fit and adjust it to the different class or build of cars, and where constructed for applying the power to outside brake-shoes was not as effective without alteration for applying the brakes when arranged between the wheels.

The object of the present invention is, rst, to reduce the number of parts, simplify the mechanism, and thus render it more durable, more readily applied and fitted to the various build of cars, and easily kept in order; and, secondly, to so construct the lever through which the brake mechanism is operated that the brakes may be applied either outside or between the wheels, as preferred,without loss of power.

To this end the ,invention consists, mainly, in the combination, with an operating-lever pivoted back of and in linewithithe movable draw -bar and connected directly with the brake mechanism, of a latch pivoted to the operating-lever and controlled, through the medium of a rock-shaft orbell-crank rod, by a governor located on theaxle; and, secondarily, in details of construction which willhere- ,inafter more fully appear.

I will rnow proceed to describe myinvenition more specifically, so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains may apply the same. i i

In the drawings, A indicates a car-body; B

B, the usual draft-timbers, between which is a `movable draw-bar, O. i D indicates the truck; E, the brake-beams, having shoes F suspended by the usual hanger-link, f,- g, a rod attached at one. end to one of the brake-beams and at the other to the short arm of lever G,

i which is connected to the other brake-beam by a fulcrum-bolt, h; and H, a rod connecting the long arm of lever G with the hand-brake. I indicates the wheels, and K the axles thereof.

The parts thus far mentioned may be of any well-known and approved pattern, and the `brake-heads and v.their connecting-rods may be arranged and connected in any of the wellknown ways, as said devices or their arrangement form no part of the present invention.

Upon the axle I secure a centrifugal governor, which may be composed of the axleelamp I consisting of a sectional collar firmly secured to the axle by bolts, which pass through .lugs 2, i and on the collar I pivot governor-balls or centrifugal weights 3,which,

v when the axle is at rest, are held against the same by springs 4 or equivalent means. 5 indicates a sliding collar connected to the governor-balls 3 by toggle-links or straps 6, in such manner Athat when the centrifugal force separates the governor-balls from the axle the collar 5 is drawn toward the wheel,i and wher the governor-balls hug4 the axle the collar is forced away fromthe wheel.

Secured to thet ruck, and projecting forwai toward axle K,is atruck-bracket, 7, upon which l 5, andthe consequent rotation of thebell-crank l is pivoted a bifurcated or forked lever, 8,which is so arranged that itsA fork or bifurcation incloses the axle K in the path of the sliding collar 5, while its other end extends backward toward the truck, and preferably toward the king-bolt, so that the motion between the car and truck shall affect the devices as little as possible,

Journaled on the draft-timbers B B is a bellcrank rod or rock-shaft, 9, having two arms, 1() and 11, arrL ngcd vertically, so that thelower arm shall be substantially in the plane of the forked lever S, to which it is connected by a link-rod, 12, which may be provided with a nut, 13, so that by screwing up the nut any slack between rock-shaft 9 and forked lever S may be taken up to insure the proper operation of the parts. The upper arm, 11, of the bell-crank rod or rock-shaft 9 is connected by a link or rod, 14, with a latch, 15, pivoted on a jawed lever, 16.

17 indicates cheek-plates bolted to thcinside faces of the draft-timbers B B, just back of the movable draw-bar O, and 16 indicates an operating -lever arranged between the cheekplates, in ine with and just back of the movable draw-bar. The operating-lever (or j awed lever) 'is preferablyastraight lever pivoted on a bolt, which passes through the lever 16 and cheek-plate 17, so that its long arm extends down and forward,while its short arm extends up into the path of the movable draw-head. The short arm is bifurcated, and between the jaws thus formed is pivoted the dog or latch 15, which is notched, as at 1S, to permit it to engage with the end of the draw-bar'. The jawed lever 16 may be provided with bosses 19, and in addition thereto washers may be employed, when required, to center the lever and fill the space between the cheek-plates. The lower or long arm of lever 16 is connected directly with the long arm of brake-lever G by a suitable chain or rod, 20. y The devices, being substantially those specifled, will operate as follows: Vhile the train is at rest or moving slowly the devices will occupy the position shown in the drawings, and the latch 15 will be held up out of the way of the draw-bar O,which can then move in or out freely without operating the brakes 5 but when the train has reached a sufliciently high rate of speed the centrifugalforce will drive the governor-balls 3 away from the axle, which, through the straps or toggle-links 6, will draw the sliding` collar 5 toward the wheel. This permits the bifurcated arm or forked lever 8 to move toward the axle or follow the collar rod or rock-shaft 9, which slackens rod 14 and permits the latch 15 to drop back of the movable draw-bar O. If, now, the motion of the locomotive or any of the preceding cars of the train be suddenly retarded or arrested, the momentum of the train will force the cars t0- gether and drive in the draw-bars,which, acting through the latch on the pivoted operating or jawed lever 16, will turn the same on its pivot, so as to force forward the lower end of its long arm, and, thus drawing on rod 20, will apply the brakes automatically. Vhen the speed of the train falls below that required to operate the governor, the governor-balls 3 will be forced against the axle by the springs 4, (or equivalent devices.) rlhiswill force the sliding collar away from the wheel, carrying with it the bifurcated end of forked arm S, thus rotating the rock-shaft, which will draw on rod 14 and lift latch 15 above the drawhead O, which latter can then move in or out without actuating the brakes.

The advantages of my invention are to be found in the greatly-reduced number of parts, their cxtreme simplicity, non-liability to get out of order, and the case with which they may be applied to the ordinary build of cars, irrespective of the arrangement'of the brakes.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In an automatic car-brake, the combination,with the movable draw-bar, of a straight lever fulcrumed near its upper end in rear of the draw-bar, and having its long arm connected with the brake mechanism, and alatch pivoted at one end tothe short arm of the lever, and having its free end connected, through suitable intermediate devices, with an automatic regulator secured to the wheel-axle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In an automatic car-brake, the combination of amovable draw-bar, an operating-lever pivoted in rear thereof and having its long arm connected directly to the brace, a latch pivoted on the short arm of the operating-lever,and connected with an automatic regulator adapted to actuate the latch and cause it to engage with the draw-bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses, this 11th day of October, 1883.

GEORGE HAMILTON POOR.

Witnesses:

E. B. Lnicrr, JOHN B. GRAY.

IOO

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